"I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class" Key Visual

Commentaires

zenzen_02025-12-24 14:59

Broadcast starts April 2026

Synopsis: Maki Maehara is always on his own at school. He has no friends or hobbies others share, and he doesn't expect the upcoming academic year to be any different, even surrounded by new faces. And six months later, it seems like he was right—until he runs into his popular classmate Umi Asanagi at a video store! Always at the center of attention and called the “second prettiest in class” by the boys, Asanagi’s from a totally different world. But it turns out the two have more overlapping interests than just the B-grade movies they came to check out...and Asanagi asks Maehara to be her friend! ([Yen Press](https://yenpress.com/series/i-made-friends-with-the-second-prettiest-girl-in-my-class))

Director: Hideki Tachibana
Series Composition & Script: Keiichirou Oochi
Character Design: Shouko Takimoto
Studio: CONNECT

Haruki Ishiya as Maki Maehara
Manaka Iwami as Umi Asanagi
Sayumi Suzushiro as Yuu Amami
Ikumi Hasegawa as Nina Nitta

OP: "Submarine Youth" by reGretGirl

PV: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riAxWkSAqmc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riAxWkSAqmc)

[https://kuranika.asmik-ace.co.jp/](https://kuranika.asmik-ace.co.jp/)

TheEVILPINGU2025-12-24 16:12

Otherwise known as the "I made friends with cool, nerd wolf cut girl who would be the losing heroine wingman best friend for the long haired blonde in another romance manga",

thus she is the second prettiest according to trope laws.

Fools_Requiem2025-12-24 16:32

Not that I mind these stories, but it would be nice if we got more romance shows where the leads weren't social outcasts. I don't need them to be super popular, just not always a loner. Gets tedious after a while.

tripleaamin2025-12-24 17:10

We have Chiramune this season.

And the recently finished Inexpressive Kashiwada & Expressive Oota

Also for next season we have

* In the Clear Moonlit Dusk
* Tune in to the Midnight Heart
* Tamon's B-Side (Female is the lead)
* The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife

With that being said, only Tamon seems to have good production values since that's the only 1 of the 4 that I will be watching next season.

twomanyhats2025-12-24 18:26

Oh right Midnight Heart is next season, if you want an outgoing guy it's gonna be hard to beat that.

Here's to hoping the quality is at least decent.

tripleaamin2025-12-24 18:57

I hope Gekkou proves me wrong, but given Kodansha's history with pushing their harem series from WSM without caring for quality, adding Gekkou's history killed my hype personally.

I do hope the voice direction and music are good enough to at least make the anime enjoyable. The art & paneling are so good in the manga; its monthly art is provided on a weekly schedule. Granted, it has been biweekly for a bit. Though I think they are aiming to get chapter 100 on episode 1 of the anime.

twomanyhats2025-12-25 00:22

Yeah, looking at the studio's track record does not inspire a ton of confidence.

twomanyhats2025-12-24 18:24

I bet there will be more announced fairly soon, seems like several recent manga have had more outgoing guys.

tripleaamin2025-12-24 17:13

Man, I want to read the LN of this, but only the manga is serialized in English. Will check out because I really like CONNECT's work; it's usually pretty solid.

This being S2-S5 DanMachi director plus Seiyuu Radio is good looks.

Comprehensive_Dog6512025-12-25 04:47

Had no interest, but they have me now with "video store"

Time_Fracture2026-01-02 11:42

gotta get used to hearing Haruki Ishiya in 2 different anime in April.

fwa4512025-12-24 15:10

Goated LN

band_of_thehawk2025-12-24 15:59

I was at Barnes and Noble the other day and ALMOST picked it up. I should go back lol

Sanhen2025-12-24 23:18

I read some of the manga, and I remember enjoying it. Would you rate the LN above it?

fwa4512025-12-25 05:02

Yup, LN gives more context, more scenes etc.

Darreninja122026-01-22 19:46

Where’d you find translations for it? Or did you just buy the official books

Izanagi322025-12-25 09:30

how goated we talking sir?

fwa4512025-12-25 10:18

Diabetes

thisisdropd2025-12-24 15:13

Manaka Iwami’s got a busy spring in the romcom field as she’ll also be reprising Mahiru in Angel Next Door. Meanwhile there's a chance of Chiramune's second cour airing in spring as well for a potential third starring role, although there are no official words on this yet.

strange_wilds2025-12-24 19:57

Yesssss, I didn’t know Angel Next door got a second season.

zairaner2025-12-24 15:16

Hm well those are designs I am going to have to get used too...

I really hoped the long time between announcement and new info would allow them to use more of the mangas visual style, the visual humour really makes up so much of the charm of the series! But I imagine this is closer to the light novel?

Regardless, I hope they are doing my favourite ongoing romance well!

IXajll2025-12-24 15:57

Haven't read the manga but this comment made me glimpse into the 1st chapter and tbh I prefer the anime style by a ton. In the manga their faces look too round, in this PV it's just more appealing visually imo.

julesvr52025-12-24 16:26

The manga works with chibi faces which fits in more "naturally"

septesix2025-12-24 22:33

Manga really worked extra hard to add comedic elements that wasn’t there in the LN. I wonder if the anime will take inspiration from that.

julesvr52025-12-24 22:34

Oh really? I love these funny moments so much! Especially Umi's chibi faces and "blank stare". For me this is an essential part of the story

septesix2025-12-24 22:55

Yah you don’t really get those in the LN. Words aren’t good for conveying that type of energy. LN itself still has heart , but the manga is definitely where all majority of the laugh came from.

julesvr52025-12-24 22:56

Thanks for the inside! Have you read the LN until the most recent chapter? I want to ask about your opinion to something but I don't want to potentially spoiler you

septesix2025-12-25 00:14

I bought vol 7 but haven’t read it yet ( starting from vol 1 again ) , so I had an inkling on what it is and based on the little bit of spoiler that I know I think it did a good job on that

julesvr52025-12-25 00:15

That I'll refrain from what I wanted to ask as I think this happened in volume 7

PostHasBeenWatched2025-12-24 18:18

It's so over for goofy eyes :(

-LoliKing-2025-12-24 15:19

FUCKING YESSSS YESSSSSSS

FetchFrosh2025-12-24 15:23

That's a big ribbon she's wearing.

zairaner2025-12-24 15:53

Luckily she doesn't go to the makeine school, they would probably put 3 ribbons onto that ribbon.

tripleaamin2025-12-24 17:13

After Makeine's uniform designs, that looks normal in comparison.

Ocixo2025-12-24 15:54

If she’d added 3 more ribbons to her uniform, it would’ve been perfect.

Weak_Season_Of_Anime2025-12-24 15:25

The characters designs are so different from the manga and LN.

[deleted]2025-12-24 16:18

[removed]

ZaphodBeebblebrox2025-12-24 16:42

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XiMaoJingPing2025-12-24 16:24

I liked the manga designs

Allansfirebird2025-12-24 19:53

The manga versions are really good. The way the eyes are drawn is so expressive.

zairaner2025-12-24 21:15

Probably the best use of chibi's in the industry.

Hephaestus_God2025-12-24 16:27

[they look similar to me](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/Class_de_2-ban_Me_ni_Kawaii_Onna_no_Ko_to_Tomodachi_ni_Natta_LN_volume_1.jpg)

[this too](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fi-became-friends-with-the-second-cutest-girl-in-my-class-v0-ooh0bw3disnd1.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D6d6a4a5d0eeac9dd3b2cb03364d1ffe1bd346c6f)

However there is [this one from volume 1](https://images.yenpress.com/imgs/9798855411263.jpg?w=408&h=612&type=books&v=20250429141246&s=639259ae6215e0fa02762a9ce13ec63d) which looks different, so probably multiple artists.

But the new design doesn’t look that drastic compared to the first two I provided

The_Three_Strikes2025-12-24 16:34

[Got a comparison for all the series' Illustrators](https://imgur.com/a/tIPXXAB)

Azuri Hyuga (2nd and Current LN illustrator)
Osabe Tom (1st LN Illustrator)
Ono Rin (Mangaka)
Shouko Takimoto (Anime's Chara Designer)

its definitely leaning more on the LN's design imo

Hephaestus_God2025-12-24 16:49

I like Osabe’s the best imo

The_Three_Strikes2025-12-24 16:59

I'm more on Azuri's imo, but both are good.

Leon80802025-12-24 18:51

My preference also goes to azuri

XiMaoJingPing2025-12-24 21:04

it looks weird cause of the glossy plastic texture they do for some reason

majideitteru2025-12-25 00:44

The LN art is peak

QWERTY--__--2025-12-24 18:04

naah mann, manga version is wayy different and better, and sometimes that chibi version 🤌🏻🤌🏻

Accomplished_Aerie692025-12-24 16:39

Kinda reminds me of otome game mob anime design

Away-Appointment-1432025-12-24 16:44

You are my bro now

WoodenRocketShip2025-12-24 20:58

The mouths really stand out to me compared to how they look in the manga

popop1432025-12-25 03:16

I dunno why but the second panel makes the girl look like a pokemon

WoodenRocketShip2025-12-25 03:21

Oh damn you're right, the second I read your comment I immediately thought of Squirtle.

OhMaiGood2026-01-07 02:51

true

Dubified2025-12-30 21:28

yah

Oleleplop2025-12-24 15:28

i've read a bit of that one. It was really good.

Ramdoriak2025-12-24 15:32

Peak. And therapeutical

Shadow_Ass2025-12-24 15:33

Banger manga. A really cute and wholesome story

Primo292025-12-24 15:36

Umi best girl!

marioquartz2025-12-24 15:36

For me the ranking will be 1, 2, 3 in the top half of the image. So he have choose the blonde? But why is the 3rd in the botton half?

(only half joking)

Guiramad02025-12-24 22:46

So the blonde is the prettiest girl in class and the girl with black hair is the second, this is more to do on how sociable and friendly the blond is.

shamgarsan2025-12-25 02:25

I always felt that the eponymous girl only scores third in the class after we get to know Nina.

SuccessfulStorage2722025-12-24 15:38

Peak has came.

Kadmos12025-12-24 15:44

Honestly, of those 3 waifu, Asanagi looks the prettiest to me.

Lign_Grant2025-12-24 15:46

I feel like the visual is a step down from the manga. The boy looks generic like other romcom MC. The girls look less "cute and fluffy".

Let's see the final product.

-ColumbinaSupremacy-2025-12-24 15:47

Definetelly watching, I like this manga

Designes are indeed noticably different

TechZero352025-12-24 15:55

This is one of the best ongoing romance manga but yeah the character design are different.

Mrtheliger2025-12-24 15:58

What have they done to Maki...

amirokia2025-12-24 15:59

Umi and the others look great while Maki is a little weird but not bad. These KVs look great.

garfe2025-12-24 16:00

Don't let the title tell you the whole story here. The character work is exceptional.

gvon892025-12-24 16:01

CAN WE PLEASE STOP SO MUCH PEAK IN SPRING BEFORE I HAVE TO BECOME A NEAT TO ENJOY IT ALL

mwbworld2025-12-24 16:05

I've been really enjoying the manga so I'm definitely looking forward to this. I will say coming from the manga I wouldn't have recognized it based on this art.

Iron_Kingpin2025-12-24 16:05

The faces look kinda derpy. The manga is pretty good.

FlameDragoon9332025-12-24 16:11

good kv, boring slop premise

julesvr52025-12-24 16:29

The plot isn't boring slop at all? A very realistic troublesome life of a high schooler and characters that are actually able to talk. It actually has great drama without the need of using the usual tropes.

FlameDragoon9332025-12-25 08:21

I never read the source material. I said boring slop ***premise***, not plot. If it's good (I believe it) then kudos to the author for being able to write good plot from such a nothingburger premise.

julesvr52025-12-25 10:05

You don't mean premise but just the title.

FlameDragoon9332025-12-25 12:59

You're correct and I'm wrong, but can you blame me when all these novels with overly long titles more often than not put their premise as the title?

YoloJoloHobo2025-12-24 16:13

Not sure what to call it, but this compositing style has been popping up a bit more recently. I remember the visuals for This Monster Wants to Eat Me having this style. Can't think of other specific examples but I remember seeing some.

I do prefer it to the "plastic" looking visuals that a lot of seasonal anime have.

julesvr52025-12-24 16:27

That art style is.... Something. I thought this is a different Manga because I couldn't recognize the characters. Not a fan so far but let's wait and see how the final product looks for final judgement

abandoned_idol2025-12-24 16:57

The character designs gives me OreGairu vibes.

More specifically "smart and handsome male lead solves school drama problems for one or more girls while the story and characters try to pass him off as being oh so smart and kind".

Feels like we have been getting quite a few of those lately.

But this is just my personal impression, I don't know anything.

julesvr52025-12-24 17:08

Plot wise I can tell you that this is not the plot at all, but art wise perhaps. Imo hatchiman wasn't really handsome looking if you ask me. Neither is Maki in the Manga, he's just a wholesome goofball

abandoned_idol2025-12-24 17:20

It's odd to see an anime with very thin lipstick on the girls and a title that reads like "2nd prettiest girl in my class" that deviates from this formula.

I look forward to confirming it with my own eyes in case I do end up watching it.

julesvr52025-12-24 17:23

It's a pretty wholesome romance but also has drama which is NOT caused by the usual tropes you see in romances. And the characters actually communicate which is nice to see

Mind you that you can"t judge the story by the looks as the character design in the LN and Manga is (very) different to anime

abandoned_idol2025-12-24 17:38

It makes for a fairly good heuristic.

For every 1 time I get it wrong, I'm right about 9 other times.

This was the case with the more "mature' (emphasis on the air quotes) "Ramune Bottle" and the "so grounded and nuanced" yet still wants to sleep with his stepsister anime whose title I don't even need to name (only audience that would relate to that is... people without siblings).

Nothing wrong with using prejudice as a rule of thumb and then making exceptions whenever a story is exceedingly popular. Prejudice is a tool that people use in their daily lives to make decisions quickly (I'm not talking about ethnic discrimination, that's ANOTHER topic, and that one is reaibad).

I pay very close attention to the praise of fans. If they list concrete examples of good writing, I also try those out. If it's just vague enthusiasm, that's another red flag.

julesvr52025-12-24 17:45

I don't say it's wrong to draw conclusions from the character design, but that it's wrong to draw these from the anime design if the source material uses a different design :)

I would argue the source material design is how the author intended it while the adaption always strave away a bit from what the author intended

dark_sylinc2025-12-24 17:02

Reading the title all I can think of is:

**\- Boromir would've made friends with the first prettiest girl in your class**

FarCritical2025-12-24 17:05

It's cool how varied the way they wear the same uniform is

IntelligentBudget1422025-12-24 17:09

Been a while since I read the ln

Mutant_Fool2025-12-24 17:12

The Male MC is just so different from the manga! And that is honestly for the better(even though I am used to the manga). In the manga, the designs are more cartoony with round shapes and the guy looks pretty ugly. But here, he looks unique for a romance MC. I have not read the LN but it is nice that the anime designs are closer to the author's vision.

kanokari2025-12-24 17:22

I've enjoyed this one, glad it's getting an adaptation

Second_Sage2025-12-24 18:15

No disrespect to this series as I haven't read it but the first line of the synopsis turns me off so bad lmao. "Loner boy befriends (in this case second) prettiest girl in class" has got to be the worst reoccurring trope in romance series these days.

Woorel2025-12-24 20:05

This trope is bad but trust me, give it a try. It was totally not what I expected when I read it earlier this year, in a good way. It's really wholesome, both protagonist are pretty straightforward, there is no triangle also.

Noiserawker2025-12-24 22:24

Titles can be really misleading, one of the most wholesome recent shows is Pseudo Harem but having harem in the title hurt it because the people that want wholesome aren't into harem as much.

ArchadianJudge2025-12-24 19:25

I'm hyped for the VAs which includes my favorite Ikumi Hasegawa and then we even got Manaka Iwami.

ezrae_2025-12-25 13:27

those are perfect choices, one's cheerful and the other's more calm and soothing

Xatu442025-12-24 20:39

It's gonna take me a long while to get used to the anime art. It's so uncanny how all of the girls have Ai Hoshino's mouth. I would've bet money that Maki had dark eyes instead of green ones too.

divaaries2025-12-24 21:01

That's not Umi that I know

frozen_desserts_012025-12-25 17:02

The Umi I know would tell everyone to swim 10km when they get to the beach

xNesku2025-12-24 21:03

I'm more used to the manga designs ngl. So I'm having a bit of whiplash rn

jreoka12025-12-24 21:29

So pretty!

Prog2025-12-24 22:04

I enjoy this manga. Art is definitely different but I wouldn't let that stop me from giving it a shot.

thisisembarrazzing2025-12-24 23:34

The artsyle is fine, what's wrong is that there's a lot of technical issues of the art like the weird proportions and anatomy errors, even some coloring choices that felt off, which wasn't present on the other Key Visual but is on this one for some reason.

shamgarsan2025-12-25 02:23

Those expressions are a choice.

joepanda1112025-12-25 09:36

*"Just Monika.”*

freakmechpilot2025-12-25 15:36

Hopefully the Christmas party gets adapted.

DivineEternal12025-12-26 01:50

Second prettiest? Seems to be the prettiest to me.

Seven-Tense2025-12-26 07:31

I don't know why, but I really don't like it when they draws mouths like that. It's like, the upper lip ends up with this weird dip in it. I don't even know what to liken it to, but it feels kinda bird like, and it always throws me off. Like, no human being has a mouth that shape

OhMaiGood2026-01-07 02:50

Manga designs were better and I would have liked black haird maki